Grimsby Poets Forums

John Lennon wrote some great songs, both when he was in the Beatles and after they split up. Some of his many songs were Peace Movement songs and, though not everybody may support some of his Hippie peace movement ideas, one of his best Peace songs must be his Imagine ;

Imagine, by John Lennon 1971

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

I suppose the ultimate Hippie peace-people song was the 1974 'San Francisco' ;

San Francisco, by Scott McKenzie 1974

If you're going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you're going to San Francisco
You're gonna meet some gentle people there

For those who come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
In the streets of San Francisco
Gentle people with flowers in their hair

All across the nation
Such a strange vibration
People in motion
There's a whole generation
With a new explanation
People in motion
People in motion

For those who come to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there

If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there


Of course popular hippy peace-movement and free-love songs have been called 'political songs', like many other non-establishment popular songs including Presley's Hound Dog, The Who's My Generation, Dylan's Times They Are A Changing, Marley's I Shot The Sheriff and even Disney's Hannah Montana's Who Said.

Most have been by non-political people, many being strong establishment supporters. And peace, free-love and the like are not good policies for any political party so maybe they are more anti-political songs ? To some they might seem to favour Anarchy, except that where these types of song have been popular there has been no active anarchy party or movement.

Songs liked in political parties have rarely been popular, maybe because politicians make poor song writers ? And really there is maybe little point in reading too much into any song lyric, or indeed into any piece of fiction writing ?!

Hi Grimdad, two nice songs. And another later 'hippy love song' is the maybe poorly written but great chorus song Caravan Of Love done in 1985 by the USA band Isley-Jasper-Isley and then in 1986 better by the UK Hull band The Housemartins ;

Caravan of Love

Are you ready, Are you ready
Are you ready, Are you ready
Are you ready for the time of your life
It's time to stand up and fight
So alright, So alright
Hand in hand we'll take a caravan to the marble land

One by one we're gonna stand up with pride
One that can't be denied
Stand up, Stand up
From the highest mountain, valley low
We'll join together with hearts of gold
Now the children of the world can see
This a better place for us to be
The place is which we were born
So neglected and torn apart

Every woman every man
Join the caravan of love
(Stand up)
Stand up, Stand up
Everybody take a stand
Join the caravan of love
(Stand up)
Stand up, Stand up

I'm your brother
I'm your brother don't you know
She's my sister
She's my sister don't you know

We'll be living in the world of peace
And the day when everyone is free
Bring the young and the old
Want you let chilled flow from your heart

Every woman every man
Join the caravan of love
(Stand up)
Stand up, Stand up
Everybody take a stand
Join the caravan of love
(Stand up)
Stand up, Stand up

I'm your brother
I'm your brother don't you know
She's my sister
She's my sister don't you know

So are you ready ( he's coming )
Are you ready ( he's coming )
Are you ready ( he's coming )
Are you ready ( he's coming on the caravan )
You better get ready ( go for it )
You better get ready ( go for it )
You better get ready ( go for it )
You better get ready


Listen to it ;

Yes Clare that is a great hippy love movement song. Of course some who did what could be called anti-establishment songs also sometimes did the opposite.

One very popular pro-capitalism anti-love song was 'Money' done by The Beatles, Rolling Stones and others, and loudly proclaiming the main establishment motivation of capitalism. Of course since it is the establishment that has the money, maybe it could be interpreted as the poor saying they want to take money off the rich and so is anti-establishment really ?! Interpret as you wish ;

Money, by The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Blues Brothers etc

The best things in life are free
But you can give it to the birds and bees
I need money ( That's what I wannt )
That's what I want
That's what I want
(That's what I want)

Your lovin' gives me a special thrill
Won't buy me no cupid bill
I want money (That's what I want)
That's what I want
That's what I want
(That's what I want)

Money don't buy everything its true
What it don't buy I can't use
Just give me that money (That's what I want)
That's what I want
That's what I want
(That's what I want)

Give me some money
What I want right now
(That's what I want)
Just give me money
(That's what I want)
That's what I want right now
(That's what I want)
That's what I want
(That's what I want)
Give me the money
(That's what I want)
I want that real money
(That's what I want)
That's what I want

Hi,

I do like some of these hippy peace and free-love songs, and don't really approve of songs that romanticise war or fighting, but one anti-peace liberty-fight song that I consider well written and well sung is Fernando by Abba.
(I thought at first that it was Hernando, like Hernando Cortez and the Ella Fitzgerald 1962 Hernando's Hideaway)

Not sure what Mexican liberty-fight Abba's Fernando was about, and some claimed 'good-cause' fighting is really for some very not-good cause, and all fighting does some direct harm and some indirect harm in encouraging more fighting and general badness more than goodness.

Of course Abba doing some 'more thoughtful' songs like Fernando did cost Abba in lower popularity ? (of course this is not to deny that maybe 10% of 'good-cause' fights may be necessary but may actually do some net good) Abba were maybe really best with their earlier love songs.

Fernando, by Abba 1980

Can you hear the drums Fernando?
I remember long ago another starry night like this
In the firelight Fernando
You were humming to yourself and softly strumming your guitar
I could hear the distant drums
And sounds of bugle calls were coming from afar.

They were closer now Fernando
Every hour every minute seemed to last eternally
I was so afraid Fernando
We were young and full of life and none of us prepared to die
And I'm not ashamed to say
The roar of guns and cannons almost made me cry.

There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though I never thought that we could lose
There's no regret
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando.

Now we're old and grey Fernando
And since many years I haven't seen a rifle in your hand
Can you hear the drums Fernando?
Do you still recall the frightful night we crossed the rio grande?
I can see it in your eyes
How proud you were to fight for freedom in this land.

There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though I never thought that we could lose
There's no regret
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando.

There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though I never thought that we could lose
There's no regret
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando

Yes, if I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando...

Listen ;